The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-04-30
Sir Edward Thornton,s Mission.

Sir Edward Thornton. the representative
of British holders of Virginia bonds, is at
Richmond, and will soon be able to learn
perhaps what the Virginia legislature is
willing to do towards the settlement Of the
claim which the British capitalists have
against that State. It seems somewhat re
markable that this distinguished diplomatist
should have accepted mission Of this sort
unless he has some other purpose in view
than that which appears upon the surface.
A sensational Washington dispatch sug-
gests that. instead of being the agent of the
British bondholders, he is the representative
OF the British government, and that if the
Virginia Legislature will not agree to a
satisfactory settlement, there will be de
mand upon the national government at
Washington to make good this claim which
British subjects have against the Virginians.
While there does not appear TO be much
ground for the suggestion contained in this
dispatch, nevertheless there may be some
foundation for it. The troubles with which
the Salisbury government are now contend
ing at home are very serious, and it may
have decided upon an aggressive policy with
respect to British interests i'll this and other
countries for the purpose of directing the
attention of the British people TO other mat
tiers than domestic affairs. In support of
this view it is urged that lately, the British
government made demand upon the Hay
tian government for 81 100000, which it
owes British subjects, and also upon the
government of Venezuela for the $50, 000, 900
which it owes in England.
The Salisbury government understands
that if it should call on the government at
Washington to assume the indebtedness of
Virginia to British bondholders it would do
a great deal to draw attention away from
the struggle that is now going on in the
English Parliament over the Irish problem
1t is hardly probably, however, that this
government would entertain such PROPOSE
ton. There is, of course, more reason for
asking the National government to pay the
Virginia debt than any other State debt
because the National government deprived
Virginia of very large amount of taxable
territory when it created the State of West
Virginia, yet that is hardly
sufficient reason. If the National govern
ment should pay the debt Of
Virginia it would pretty certainly be called
upon to assume the debts of other States,
and il precedent in this matter We're once
established States would be continually rum
ming into debt with the expectation that the
national government would come to their
assistance when pay day came around.
In this connection it is worthy of notice
that resolution was introduced into the
West Virginia Legislature day or two ago
proposing that that State should assume
5000, 900 Of Nirginia's debt, which is sup
posed TO be somewhere near $45,000,00O.
West Virginia should certainly pay some
part of Virginia's debt. The fact that she is
not now part of Virginia ought not to he
an excuse for not doing SO. She was a part
of that State when the debt was contracted,
and she ought to pay the part she would
| have had to pay had she remained part of
Virginia. All that Sir Edward Thornton
does at Richmond, in connection with this
bond business, will be watched with keen
| interest